A No Flaws Shiraz

Prologue

The convict ship CAMDEN carried the first Shiraz (alias Syrah)
vines to Australia. The father of Australian viticulture,
a 31-year-old Scot named James Busby, had convinced
the captain to ship to Sydney FREE his wonderful
collection of 570 varieties of European grape
vines. The year was 1832. (California would not
have a similar infusion of European varieties
by the official "father of California viticulture,"
Count Agoston Haraszthy, for another 30 years.)

Len Evans showing Mrs. McMillin two of his books.

The Rest of the Story

The Shiraz went on to become Australia's most
widely-planted red wine grape. I recall that
when we talked in Sydney with the leading wine
authority Len Evans some years ago,
(see photo of Len and my wife)
Australia had four times the Shiraz/Syrah
acreage of the famous Rhone Valley.

Postscript

You notice today's wine came from South Australia.
Thus, James Busby may have had more influence on
it than we know, for Len Evans writes: Part of
Busby's cuttings, packed in cases of moss,
were sent to the Adelaide Botanic Gardens, from
where thousands of clippings were taken and spread
throughout SOUTH AUSTRALIA!

Credit: Len Evans' Australia Complete Book of Wine

About the
Writer

Fred McMillin, a veteran wine writer, has taught wine history
for 30 years on three continents. He currently teaches wine
courses at San Francisco State and San Francisco City College.
In 1995, the Academy of Wine Communications honored Fred
with one of only 22 Certificates of Commendation awarded
to American wine writers.